By the third course the verdict was unanimous— our dinner at the famed Nobu Restaurant in Caesars Palace Las Vegas topped all expectations and vaulted to the top of our collective past dining experiences. Yellowtail sashimi with jalapeno, cilantro and yuzu, or citrus, soy sauce--“harmony in a dish” was what our server said, as he detailed the history and sourced ingredients of each item. One of my specialty vegan dishes showcased avocado tartare and cypress seeds that mimicked caviar, all accompanied by a sake flight.
The dinner was just one indulgence of the three-day Caesars Entertainment Luxury Tour Experience (July 30-Aug. 2), hosted at Nobu Hotel. Other stops included villa visits, such as Nobu Hotel’s three-bedroom, 10,300-square-foot Nobu Villa; decadent dining; a nighttime ride on the High Roller at The LINQ, replete with full bar; and a concert at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace by an energized The Who.
It also incorporated a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Flamingo Las Vegas, celebrating the completion of a $6.8 million refurbishment of its meeting space, the first step in kicking off an additional $90 million in hotel renovations.
Off-site we paid visits to the engrossing Mob Museum as well as the Frank Gehry-designed Keep Memory Alive Event Center, where proceeds go to the research, treatment and clinical studies of neurological disorders at the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health. Another group venue, the Smith Center for Performing Arts, which opened in 2012, can host events in its versatile Troesh Studio Theater, in its 5,000-square-foot Grand Lobby or on its grounds outdoors, among other spaces.
The highlight of the Caesars trip had nothing to do with luxury, but everything to do with CSR, as our group visited the Clean the World recycling center in Las Vegas. We learned about the organization’s mission as a nonprofit, recycling discarded hotel amenity waste such as bars of soap and bottles of shampoo for use in global health programs around the world. We were then given the opportunity to organize hygiene kits for distribution to relief organizations.
